Lincoln City Council delays vote on 14th and Old Cheney roundabout

The big topic in Monday’s Lincoln City Council meeting was the roundabout on 14th and Old Cheney.

It also included whether or not the city should use some of the funds set aside for it to be used for street repairs instead.

“The congestion at this intersection does not happen overnight but instead occurred over a period of roughly 20 years as the city has continued to grow in the south,” a Lincoln resident in support of the proposal said.

Right now, construction is scheduled to start next year, at a cost of $36 million. The construction is expected to be happening the same time as the South Beltway project.

A lot of people were saying the city could be using that money in a more productive way.

“$36 million, just think about that and you can’t patch a hole out here on 40th Street, what’s going on,” a Lincoln resident in opposition of the proposal said. “I’ve lived in Lincoln all my life and I can’t believe this money is being spent the way it’s being spent.”

Lincoln City Council delayed the vote for November 4th.

Another topic brought back up in front of council is a gun ordinance. It would require people who leave their guns in vehicles to have them properly secured.

“We studied a great deal of local data and we knew that gun theft in cars is a major access point for juveniles,” a representative with Nebraskans Against Gun Violence said.

“The way this is written right now, it would harm hunters and there are a lot of hunters in Lincoln,” Lincoln resident, Roy Raymond said.

A big concern with a majority of people who spoke was hunting rifles and shotguns being too large to fit inside secure compartments or cases that can be locked to a vehicle.